Why Prefabricated Horse Barns Are Best For Equestrian Facilities

The equine industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry. Most people choose recreational horseback riding due to the rise in activities that promote mental health & relaxation. There are over 6.7 million horses in the United States, with Texas being home to about 748,800 horses alone [source: UMN]. These beautiful animals need proper shelter, care, and protection against harsh outdoor conditions, such as metal horse barns, for best performance.

7 Benefits Of A Prefab Horse Barn For Equine Members

There are many reasons why a metal barn is more suitable for horses than traditional barns. From fast construction to safety concerns, let’s see why a steel ranch barn is better than a conventional building.

1. Speed Of Construction Of Prefab Metal Barns

A prefab metal building is easy to install, takes less time on-site, and demands less labor. This is due to the fact that most parts of prefab horse barns are mass-produced in a factory, which cuts down its price and reduces the amount of work needed on-site.

2. Is Metal Barn Safer For Horses?

When it comes to the safety & comfort of equine, a prefabricated barn stands out from the rest. It is made using 12ga thick steel frames that can bear more load and is lightweight. Thus, ranchers can make them bigger without worrying about compromising structural integrity. A steel barn has the following features that make it safer for horses:

• Dense & inorganic metal panels give no room to termites
• Certification against strong winds & heavy snow load, making a protective shelter
• No rotting or decaying panels & no structural sagging
• Horse-friendly features like carolina barns for horses with high roofs & proper ventilation reduce chances of pathogen growth, molding, & mildew
• A wide aisle space making easy to feed, clean, and maintain the barn for farm workers
• Temperature control with a variety of insulation options
• Rust-resistant 100% galvanized steel that is non-combustible, promoting fire safety

3. Cost Effectiveness Of Metal Building

The cost of a prefabricated horse barn ranges between $10 to $45 per sq. ft., while the cost of a wooden livestock barn can be $20 to $90 & up per sq. ft. For a more accurate price, you must consider factors such as:

• No. of horses you want to shelter
• Types of horses you want to keep
• Storage needs for hay & feed, additional tack room, etc.
• Strictness of local building & zoning guidelines
• Design complexity, certification, & foundation

4. Durability & Longevity Of A Steel Horse Barn

A steel horse barn offers higher strength [25 times strength to weight ratio than wood] and better stability. Structural steel can bear more load, making it withstand severe weather like high-speed winds, heavy snow, earthquakes, & storms.

That’s not all! Steel is naturally resistant to termites, carpenter ants, and pests that cause damage to wooden barns. Unlike wood, an insulated steel barn does not rot or decay. It is also sustainable, providing an eco-friendly and healthy atmosphere for horses to rest.

Unlike wood, steel frames don’t warp, crack, bend, or twist with time. They don’t need additional structural support to keep them from sagging. Thus, steel equine barns retain structural integrity over time.

5. Customizations For Prefab Equine Barn

We provide a range of customization features to add to your horse barn that’ll increase its functionality and external appearance. Some common ones are:

• Color
• Metal panels design
• Roof style
• Custom width
• Height
• Length as desired
• 12ga or 14ga steel
• 26ga or 29ga panels
• Doors & frameouts
• Windows
• Insulation
• Trim & wainscoting

You can also choose between various styles of metal barns depending on no. of horses you want to shelter.

6. Energy Optimization For Horse Prefab Barn

Having proper ventilation for a horse barn makes it easy to have fresh air flow inside. This reduces the chance of molding, mildew, and pathogen growth while carrying a foul smell. Ranch owners can add insulation to reduce heat transfer and control moisture.

Both will make the prefab barn an energy-efficient structure, saving energy bills and improving the chances of getting tax credits.

7. Clear Span Barn For Indoor Riding Arena

A clear span design has a columns-free interior without any obstructing space, making it ideal for creating an indoor metal riding arena. A clear span barn can span up to 300 ft. wide without any internal supporting walls or columns.

It is suitable for states with harsh winters like Pennsylvania, hot & humid summers like Texas, and coastal areas with unpredictable weather patterns like rainstorms. It is also suitable for mountain regions like Colorado and urban areas with limited outdoor spaces like New York.

How To Choose The Right Prefabricated Horse Barn?

Below are some common considerations for choosing the right size and style of steel barn for horses.

No. Of Horses: Depending on the size of the herd, you can pick size, height, and extra space in the form of a lean-to. For example, a Carolina barn of size 48’x30’x12’ can shelter about 6-8 horses with individual stalls for each, tack room, and comfortable aisle space for farm workers.

How To Calculate The Size Of A Metal Horse Barn?

A prefab barn interior should have space for stalls, tack rooms, and feed storage. Suppose that a standard stall size is 12’x12’, the required aisle space is 10’-12’ wide, and a tack room is about 12’x12’, then:

Barn size for 3 horses: 30’x40’
Barn size for 6 horses: 30’x80’
Barn size for 10 horses: 30’x130’

Consider a leg height of 12’ for horses to move comfortably. Note that large horses require more headroom. You can choose peak height to be 14’ – 18’ depending on climatic conditions & roof style.

Prefab Horse Barns For Sale: It is crucial to set a budget before starting a horse barn or installing a new building on your property, and a sale is the best opportunity to get a prefab steel barn at a slashed price.

Local Building Guidelines: Before you pick up the shovel for site preps, we suggest getting a permit and ensuring the chosen design complies with local building codes and zoning laws. You can request a design blueprint, submit it for approval, and then order your prefab barns. Usually, rural areas in America have more relaxed rules.

How Carefree Are Prefab Metal Horse Barns?

One of the perks of having a steel prefab barn is that maintenance takes less time, money, and effort, so ranchers or agribusiness owners can save on revenue. Here are some tips on how to care for the metal barn.

Comfortable Stalls: With metal barns with lean-to, you can add individual horse stalls to your barn for a comfortable resting place that is easy to maintain. You can add mats to the concrete floor as well.

Easy Cleaning: A steel barn is easy to clean. Unlike wood, mold spores can’t get deep into the panels or frames, so you won’t need deep cleaning every now & then.

Low Upkeep Needs: A steel farm building requires less maintenance than wooden barns. You don’t need monthly termite inspection & control or annual repainting or re-coating the entire structure. This will reduce farm operational costs.

Proper Ventilation: You can easily add individual windows for horses to get fresh air and adequate vents.

Pest Control: Metal is resistant to pests. You can easily keep your horse barn clean to avoid foul smells, pathogens, and flies. Ensure feed is stored in an air-tight container to retain nutrients.

Regular Inspection: Check your metal equine barn and address any minor issues promptly to avoid major repairs.

Give Your Horses The Best Shelter & Comfort With Our Prefab Barn

As you have seen, prefab metal horse barns offer modern solutions to problems like pest infestation, high monthly upkeep, and are overall cost-effective for ranch owners in the long run. You can get an engineer-certified, custom steel horse barn from Viking Barns at a reasonable price. Call (704) 579-6966 for a free quote and get started!